The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

1001 Video Games

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Enhanced re-release

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX includes new features and areas to explore.

References

• The platforming sections are clearly inspired by the Super Mario series, including pipes with hungry plants and enemies which can be killed by stomping on them.
• Wart makes a short cameo in this game, as a music teacher. Wart was the final boss in Super Mario Bros. 2.
• The character Richard, whom you help get five golden leaves for from his castle, is none other than Prince Richard from the obscure Japanese Game Boy game Kaeru no tame ni Kane wa Naru. In this game, both Richard, and the main character, Sable, were able to transform into frogs at key points in the game - which probably explains why there's a whole heap of frogs in Richard's villa. The music that plays while in the villa is also from the same game.

Timeline

There is much speculation over the chronological order of the Zelda storyline, so although Link's Awakening is the fourth Zelda game, it is unknown when the events in it occur. Many agree that it probably takes place directly after A Link to the Past, although one theory suggests it takes place in the middle of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (while Link is sailing to the east continent).

Awards

• Electronic Gaming Monthly
  • November 1997 (Issue 100) - ranked #28 (Best 100 Games of All Time)
• Game Informer
  • August 2001 (Issue #100) - #58 in the "Top 100 Games of All Time" poll
• Retro Gamer
  • October 2004 (Issue #9) – #4 Best Game Boy Game

Information also contributed by Ben K, PCGamer77, Tiago Jacques and Zovni